CENTRE FOR FOUNDATION STUDIES

FDN1112 ENGLISH SKILLS 2

Group Assignment

Students Particulars:
Intake

2014

Programme

: FIB

Semester

Group

: 1

Lecturers Name

MISS OOI AI LENG

1. SOFEA SYAHIRAH BINTI MOHD KHALID FBM01037
2. NURUL NADIA BINTI RAHMAN FBM01035

Students Name & Matric

Number

Due Date

8.8.2014

Submission Date

8.8.2014

Total number of pages including this cover page

Weightage

20%

Official Use:
Comments

The Causes and Effects of Smoking Cigarette

Smoking is one of the main issues that mankind today is confronted with in the world.
Smoking is known to have started as early as 1439 A.D. Rodrigo de Jerez was the first ever
smoker in Europe, and the development of cigars was originated by the Native American
people. In the twentieth century, cigars were advertised all over the world as a harmless, antistress product with little or no side effects. Smoking was eventually become widespread all
over European countries and was even popular among women. As technology became more
advanced, the adverse effects of smoking on human health have increased exponentially.
Researchers officially declared smoking as a harmful habit that in most of the cases is fatal.
There are many reasons why people resort to smoking. The core reason people
smoke is because they are addicted to nicotine and can't stop. It's a simple as that. Nicotine
addiction not only perpetuates one's desire to smoke, but it makes it difficult to try to apply
mind over matter and quit. When smokers start to cut down on cigarettes, they begin to go
into withdrawal, which causes a variety of unpleasant symptoms including headache, fatigue,
irritability and cravings. Though nicotine addiction is certainly the biological reason for why
people smoke, there are a host of other factors that are also at play.
Much of temptation to start smoking is based on the advertising propaganda carried
out by cigarette manufacturers. People at home see the images of smoking people on their
television screens, in newspapers, and magazines. Children are influenced by their parents
and may be misled to the thinking that smoking poses no danger. Statistics show that about
nine out of ten tobacco users start smoking before they are eighteen years old. Peer pressure
is another main reason why teenagers choose to do things they shouldnt do. For instance,
friends can influence us unintendedly. If they behave negatively, we tend to follow their
footsteps easily. Quite often it is the friends who persuade each other to start smoking or
purchase a pack of cigarettes only to try what smoking is all about.
Smoking is often portrayed in todays society as a cool and hip thing to do.
Moreover, on many occasions, smoking can contribute to the status of a person. The fact that
it makes you look cool can tempt a person to light up and eventually harm his or her health.
Culture can also have a powerful impact on whether smoking is accepted by society. Some
surveys point out that smoking is usually perceived as producing relaxing effect. This can
particularly appeal to businessmen and people who have stressful occupations.
Emotions beyond stress can also factor in. Loneliness, for example, is often cited as a
reason for lighting up. You are never alone when you have your little "buddy" with you, some
say, a comfort that comes as quickly as a flame can be lit. Some smokers even say that the act
of having a cigarette in their mouth and taking a drag gives them a sense of pleasure and
comfort not unlike sucking your thumb as a child.

Others say they reward themselves with smoking. Whenever they have accomplished
a task, a cigarette can be like a pat on the back for a job well done. The first cigarette of the
day can be a way to ease into the daily grind, while the last one before bed can serve as a
sense of completion. In between are little rewards for taking care of all the tasks of everyday
living. There are those who may even smoke to control their weight. On average, smokers
weigh seven pounds less than non-smokers. Smoking reduces appetite and decreases the
sense of taste and smell.
There have been numerous campaigns against cigarette smoking communicating that
this vice causes death. But a threat to health doesnt seem to be a good reason for quitting
anymore. People somehow block themselves and ignore all the information that is given to
them Smoking cigarettes can harm almost every organ in your body, from top to bottom and
inside and out. Moreover, it is only now that doctors are beginning to discover the true extent
of the harm that smoking can cause to a person's health and to the health of those around him.
Smoking over a prolonged period of time can cause a number of serious diseases and
illnesses, some fatal and others that will not kill you but will leave you with a poorer quality
of life in general. The harmful effects of smoking usually manifest themselves in ones health
over a long-term period. A cigarette contains three harmful substances that can lead to fatal
illnesses. Nicotine is one of the most harmful chemicals in a cigarette. Nicotine is an
addictive substance that can lead to having just one puff of a cigarette into buying numerous
packets and smoking them all. Addiction can also result in absolutely unnecessary expenses,
but most importantly this habit is very hard to part with which eventually leads to mostly
irreversible damages to health.
Most adults who start smoking in their teen years never expected to become addicted.
Tar is another component in a cigarette which contributes to the harmful effects of smoking.
It is a brown, tacky chemical that is left behind on the end of the cigarette filter. It stains the
smokers teeth and fingers and it also coats everything with a brownish-yellow film. The
build-up of tar in lungs can eventually cause cancer; it is now the most common causes of
death among regular smokers. Moreover, cigarettes produce carbon monoxide which is, when
inhaled, reduces the oxygen intake by red blood cells. This leads to shortness of breath,
overall fatigue, and complications with heart and lungs. What makes smoking frowned upon
by society is that it not only affects the individual smokers health but also other civilians
around. Second hand smokers are also highly affected by the same damaging effects
produced by cigarettes.
Smoking reduces a person's life expectancy from anything from 7 years to 30 years.
Generally smokers are less healthy and less physically fit than non-smokers. In addition, they
take more days off work through illness than non-smokers and are more prone to common
illnesses such as colds or sore throats. Smokers will get out of breath much quicker after
exertion and find it harder to exercise and they will also have a higher risk of infections, as
the body's immune system is damaged from smoking.
The causes and effects of smoking are being discussed frequently among our society,
and more and more solutions to resolve this issue are being brought up worldwide. Being in

the media-age, propaganda and commercial advertising plays a big part in the indoctrination
of our generation. People see what they believe about smoking and are led to thinking its a
solution to problems like peer pressure, stress, and feeling left out. However, the actual
effects of smoking include a high risk of cancer, addiction, and fatigue. Men, women and
children are informed constantly of these circumstances, but still today, smoking remains as a
recurring topic on the list of the main issues around the world.
Smoking is a habit which individuals find difficult to quit. Many people make
preparations for months in their effort to get rid of the habit, making painstaking plans to
eliminate their dependence on nicotine. However making an effort to give up the habit of
smoking all on a sudden is far more likely to yield satisfactory results. Spontaneous efforts to
end the habit of smoking have a greater rate of success in comparison to planned attempts
made by individuals to give up the habit.
This can be attributed to the fact that prior planning gives rise to tension, making it
difficult for smokers to kick the habit. Giving up the habit of smoking is one of the most
crucial things that an individual can probably do. Quitting smoking ensures a longer and
better life. People who quit smoking have reduced risks of suffering a heart attack, stroke or
cancer. Pregnant women who give up smoking enhance the likelihood of having healthy
baby.
In order to quit smoking individuals should prepare themselves for the move. It is
imperative that one should get support for their endeavour to quit smoking. One should learn
new skills and behaviours in order to give up smoking for good. One should obtain
medication and utilize it properly. A person should be ready to face tough situations or a
relapse. With a view to quit smoking one should fix a quit date. An individual should also
make an attempt to alter ones surroundings by removing the entire stock of cigarettes along
with ashtrays in the home. A person must also prohibit others from smoking in ones home. It
is advisable to assess past efforts in giving up smoking and take into consideration what
worked and what did not.

References

Poonam Jani ( 2013 ) Its only one: The impact of social smoking , [ Online ] ,
Available : http://www.nouse.co.uk/2013/12/02/its-only-one-the-impact-of-social-smoking/
[ Accessed 18th of July 2014 ]
Cancer Research UK ( 2009 ) Smoking and cancer: Why do people smoke? , [ Online ] ,
Available
:
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerinfo/healthyliving/smokingandtobacco/whydopeoplesmoke/smoking-and-cancer-why-dopeople-smoke [ Accessed 20th of July 2014 ]
Peter Jaret ( 2014 ) Find Your Smoking Triggers , [ Online ] ,
Available : http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/features/find-your-smoking-triggers
[ Accessed 22nd of July 2014 ]